According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India’s nuclear arsenal was estimated at about 190 nuclear warheads in January 2026

¨     According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India’s nuclear arsenal was estimated at about 190 nuclear warheads in January 2026.

¨  The estimate placed India among the nine nuclear-armed states recognised in global arms-control studies.

¨  India’s official nuclear doctrine is based on the principles of Minimum Credible Deterrence and No-First-Use (NFU).

¨     India’s nuclear delivery systems include aircraft, land-based ballistic missiles, and sea-based platforms.

¨     During 2025, India continued developing longer-range delivery systems, including missile capabilities linked to targets across China.

¨ India is enhancing the survivability of its nuclear forces through mobility, concealment, and sea-based deployment.

¨ India is pursuing MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle) technology for its ballistic missiles.

¨     MIRVs enable a single missile to carry multiple warheads that can strike different targets independently.

¨     India has also been moving towards canisterised missiles, which are stored and launched from sealed containers.

¨ Canisterisation allows quicker launch readiness and provides better protection during storage and transportation.

¨     India possesses a SSBN (Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine) as part of its sea-based nuclear deterrent.

¨     An SSBN is a submarine designed to carry ballistic missiles equipped with nuclear warheads.

¨     SIPRI estimated that by January 2026, India may have begun deploying a limited number of nuclear warheads on a single SSBN for occasional deterrence patrols.

¨     Sea-based deployment forms the third leg of India’s Nuclear Triad, alongside land-based and air-based nuclear delivery systems.